Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-11-17
Squashes with Potatoes

LaSalle County (Ill) correspondent
OF the Prairie Farmer writes: Last
spring planted about three acres of
early potatoes. They came up better
than those of most of my neighbors, but
on account of the drouth some hills
missed. At the first hoeing, whenever /
came to blank hill unless they were too
near together), put in few squash
seeds. The only trouble they cost me
was the planting. one hoeing and the
gathering. September 81 I obtained a
heaplng two horse wagon box full of
squashes from these vines-not less than
thirty-fve bushels. Owing to the ex-
treme dryness of the season no souashes
set until after the August rains. This
caused light crop, and about half of the
squashes are too green for cooking pur-
poses, but the green ones are worth twice
as much for stock feed as the whole lot
cost. would recommend in planting ear
ly potatoes to set out three rows entire:
In the fourth plant three hills, and skip
three. When the potatoes are up so the
blank spaces can be seen, plant squash
seeds IN the vacant spaces. Any kind of
squash or pumpkin seed will do, but 1
prefer the perfect gem squash to all 9TH
ers for this purpose, as tho vines do not
fairly begin to run until the potatoes are
ripe, thus allowing the harvesting of the
whole crop, and the cultivating of the
land before the squashes cover the
ground. But the potatoes need not be
dug. until after the frost comes, unless
so desired, and the squash vines will COW
er the ground, and thus prevent the usual
growth of weeds, which always covers
patch of unharvested potatoes If there
is no market for sufh produce they ara
worth vastly more than their cost fos
stock feed. [ would never raise squashes
with field corn; you can raise more of
each by growing on separate land. But
squashes may be profitably grown among
sweet, or any early variety of corn, by
planting them every third row, and cut
ting up the corn as soon as it is past the
roasting ear stage. Plaster of Paris, or
land plaster, mixed with Paris green, at
the rate of 100 to l. will protect all kinds
of squash Or melon vines from bugs, if
busted on.
The Preserving Effect of Tar and Petroleum.
Gas tar has been good thing in pre-
serving all kinds of wood at the Iowa
agricultural college, since the spring of
1882. The same may be said of petrole
up1 and tar together. Petroleum alone
seemed to have little or no effect; as many
posts treated with this application went
down as where nothing had been
applied. Tar applied alone makes q
better showing than where posts were
tarred after being painted with pc
troleum. Posts painted first and then
tarred did not absorb the tar. 1t merely
formed a coating on the outside of the
petroleum and was constantly scaled off
IL \
in the boiling tar, it was observed THAI
the tar had penetrated the wood one
eighth Or one-fourth of an inch, thus
forming q coat that could not scale.
Petroleum did no good when applied
alone, and harm when preceding the use
of tar. Tarring is estimating to cost 20
per post. Just how many years 1t viii
lengthen the time of usefulness of post
each of the different kinds of wood would
be of interest could sufficient data be
collected to show. Only estimates from
appearances of posts can be given of
how long they will stand. Eastwood
posts will not last on an average more
than 3 q years If they have merely been
cut and cured before setting. Tar will
probably not make them average more
than year longer. The soft maple posts
are all gone, and are evidently the DOOR
est of all kinds used. The use Of tar will
preserve white willow on an average of
five years, while without tar they will
average but three or four, as indicated
by the posts here observed. Tar seems
to lee of great use in preserving posts,
and Will, doubtless, be of greatest value
ia preserving good woods, rather than
in increasing the length of time the poor
posts will stand. The experiment rather
proves that the cost is greater than the
profit where the application is to bass
wood and willow. What the profit will be
shown to be in the cate of cedar and oak
posts, not enough time has elapsed Is
vet to Indicate